Windows HPC 2008 MPI Cluster Debugger Pack Available

Developers building solutions for Microsoft’s latest version of the Windows operating system for supercomputers now have available the MPI Cluster Debugger launch integration. The Windows HPC MPI Cluster Debugger Pack is essentially designed to bridge Windows HPC Server 2008 with Visual Studio 2008. The solution is live on the Microsoft Download Center since the past week, and developers interested in simplifying the launch of Visual Studio 2008 MPI Cluster Debugger are free to grab the bits.

“This package integrates the ‘F5’ experience of launching the Visual Studio 2008 MPI Cluster Debugger and your Windows HPC Server 2008 environment, for a better and more integrated debugging experience. This package provides a new tool window from which you can specify on which nodes the debugging will take place on the cluster. Once your break points are set and the debugger settings are specified you only have to press ‘F5’ to launch the debugger. Pressing ‘F5’ deploys your application binaries and the remote debugger, and submits a job to the scheduler. When the job is scheduled the MPI processes start under the control of the remote debugger,” revealed Microsoft Evangelist Volker Will.

Microsoft stated that, in order to benefit from a more integrated debugging experience between the Visual Studio 2008 MPI Cluster Debugger and the Windows HPC Server 2008 environment, developers would need to have deployed HPC Pack 2008 software development kit, the HPC Pack 2008 / Windows HPC Server 2008 based cluster and Visual Studio 2008. According to the Redmond company the package also brings to the table a project template for C/C++ MPI programs.

“Download the MPI Cluster Debugger launch integration package to the same machine where you are developing using Visual Studio. Close Visual Studio. Install the package by double clicking on the icon. When you start Visual Studio the debugger configuration tool window is available by clicking Tools->Cluster Debugger Configuration,” Microsoft explained.

MPI Cluster Debugger launch integration is available for download here.